


time, like a fork in the road

by julianbashir



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Artificial Intelligence, Fix-It of Sorts, Future Fic, Post-Endgame, Spoilers, Time Shenanigans, eventually
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-26
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2020-02-07 03:23:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18612109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/julianbashir/pseuds/julianbashir
Summary: In which Morgan Stark grows up, leaves home, makes exactly the right wrong friends, builds an AI, and saves her little corner of the universe.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I'll be adding more tags once we get further out from release day, but as it stands even character tags feel super spoilery. The warning for major character death will only include canonical character deaths. Previously titled: Three Thousand, updated because the time travel isn't spoilery anymore.

Morgan Stark is sixteen years old when she finally convinces her mother that she's ready to go to college.

'Going to college early wasn't great for your father.' Mom tucks a stray curl behind Morgan's ear with her Dad smile, the one that's small and fond, sadness lingering around the edges.

'Yeah,' Morgan gives Mom's hand a reassuring squeeze, 'but Dad had no stable role models and always thought he had shit to prove to people.'

'Language.'

'Dad taught me "shit."' That earns Morgan a laugh, and her heart soars in her chest. Morgan has memories of Before, when Mom used to laugh all the time. Mostly with Dad. It's a rarefied sight these days. 'I get to use it whenever I want.'

'Yeah, he did.' Mom's gaze flicks down to the tall stack of college acceptance envelopes. 'I love you three thousand, you know that right, sweetheart?'

'Yeah, Mom. I love you, too.' The universal trauma of the Snap helped mainstream therapy acceptance and Morgan's grateful for that. It only took five years of weekly sessions for them to get this good at talking about their feelings, but she thinks that's not too shabby. 'I don't have a chip on my shoulder the same way Dad did. I'll be okay. And it's not like I'm even leaving the state. You'll probably see me as much as you do now. I'll live at home as long as you want; I could commute with one of the quinjets to the tower.'

'I think that would probably drive Happy insane.' Mom grins. 'Well, let's put together a little party to celebrate, then. Morgan Stark: Columbia University student. You have to promise to take at least one class with Bruce or I'll never hear the end of it.'

'Done. And when Uncle Jim starts complaining, we'll tell him I'm planning on MIT for grad school.'

Mom pulls Morgan into a hug. Her voice sounds tight and Morgan knows she's about to get stomped with feelings, but there's been a lot of that lately. She'll let Mom hide her tears however she wants.

'Your Dad would've been so proud of you. The proudest. He'd throw you the most embarrassingly big party.' Her laugh is watery, but real, shaking her slim shoulders. 'There would probably be fireworks.'

'We can do that if you want, but I think I'd rather just have everybody over for dinner.' Morgan runs a soothing hand down Mom's back and grins into her shoulder. 'We haven't done that since Lila's graduation last year. Remember, Lila and Nathaniel had that fight about appropriate hot dog condiments. So no hot dogs this time, please.'

'Done.'

Morgan only feels a little guilty for lying about being willing to live at home. She’s gonna need lab space she can hide from FRIDAY and Mom if her project is ever going to get off the ground.

She thinks Dad would understand.


	2. Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are over 20,000 hours of publicly available footage of one Anthony E. Stark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from the [AC/DC song](https://genius.com/Ac-dc-rock-and-roll-aint-noise-pollution-lyrics).

They haven't spent more than the occasional weekend night at the tower since before Dad died. Even rebuilt almost from the ground up, the place was too full of ghosts for Mom, and Morgan's stepdad hates spending nights in the city. But when Morgan starts making noises about housing for the fall semester, Mom gladly offers up the old family apartment in what was once the Avengers suites.

The Saturday she's meant to move in, Mom has to fly out to the Malibu offices for an emergency meeting. Dave, bless his wholesome as apple pie soul, gets called upstate for the birth of the Rodriguez's new filly. They both swear up and down they can help on Sunday and Happy calls to offer his services, but Morgan promises she'll be fine. She knows plenty of people to call if she needs a hand and she'll see them all at family dinner the first Sunday in September.

She spots him loitering in the garage when she pulls into her designated spot.

'The lurking is creepy, Parker,' Morgan shouts in Peter's direction as she opens the trunk.

'Yeah, but very in-character.' Peter grins and rolls over some kind of weird, unfolding cart he's clearly planning to stack her boxes and bins on and push by himself. 'Good to see you, Morgan. Have a good summer?'

Morgan lets him fold her into a hug, familiar, lanky limbs wrapping her in the smell of off-brand detergent and all-in-one apple shampoo-and-conditioner. She knows for a fact Dad left him a trust fund, but old habits.

'Same-old.' She releases him with a shrug and starts unloading boxes. 'How's life at the Bugle?'

'Same-old,' Peter replies with a shit-eating grin. He frowns at the weight of the bin he's setting on the cart. 'Okay, even I noticed this was heavy. What the hell did you pack in here, bricks?'

'Rude,' Morgan says in time with the sound of whirring from within the bin. 'It's Dummy. I brought the boys with me. I like having them around, and they just make Mom sad, anyway.'

Peter's frown slips sideways into a small smile. 'They used to just piss her off.'

'Really? I can't imagine anyone getting mad at them.' She pats You's bin and smiles at the trilling coo from inside. 'They're only ever trying to be helpful!'

'They're good bots,' Peter agrees, stacking the last of the bins. 'That everything?'

'Yeah. Honestly, I've been dropping stuff off every time I came into the city all summer, so it's mostly clothes and books.' Peter snorts at that. She takes after both of her parents in her favorite things to hoard, okay? 'I really appreciate you helping out. I could've had Happy bring some guys, but.'

'Not really the same thing when you move out the first time.' Peter nods, rolling the cart towards the private elevator. They both pause for biometric scans and then walk through the sliding doors. 'Aunt May came with me and cried for like...a week.'

'In fairness to Aunt May,' Morgan hits the elevator call button, 'you had also disappeared into nothingness for five years and only come back like a year earlier. So.'

'There is that.'

Morgan hits the penthouse button and ignores Peter's glances towards the silent ceiling. All of the long-serving Avengers seem unnerved by the lack of AI in the tower. FRIDAY was never reinstalled after the rebuild, though she's still part of the HQ systems and lives in a few portions of the lake house.

'Welcome to my humble abode.'

Morgan leads the way into the penthouse with widespread arms.

'I haven't been up here since Wilson's engagement party.' Peter looks around with wide eyes, rolling the cart to a stop in the middle of the living area. 'It's bigger than I remember.'

'The lack of several dozen superheroes can make most places look bigger.' Morgan makes a beeline for the kitchen, which she's positive Mom had stocked that morning. She's a Planner, Pepper Potts. Sure enough, the fridge is full of all of Morgan's favorite foods. And -- 'Mom got your gross energy drinks!' she calls over her shoulder.

Peter slides across the tile on skidding sneakers and Morgan bites down on the _shoes off_ ready to roll of her tongue. 'Sweet! Pepper's the best.' Peter snags a can, cracks it open, and downs half of it in one gulp.

'Okay, you have definitely been burning the candle at both ends, Spider-Dude.' Morgan elbows him in the direction of a bar stool, which he flops onto with a weary grin. 'I know we don't talk about money shit, but I know you don't actually need a day job if you're spending too much time, you know.' She makes web-slinging gestures before grabbing the pitcher of iced tea from the fridge.

'I don't like touching the money he left if I can help it.' Peter accidentally snaps the tab off of his drink. He sheepishly passes it to Morgan, who dumps it in the recycler. 'And I used a lot to pay off Aunt May's place.'

'For which I'm sure she's grateful, but I've seen her place. And your place.' Morgan bumps the fridge door shut with her hip and retrieves a glass from the cabinet. 'You could buy ten of each with the money he gave you. So I need a better reason or I'm calling the big man upstairs and telling him to bench you. Or I'll just hack your suit myself.'

'Rude and uncalled for,' Peter whines. 'And I've been thinking about taking leave from the Bugle for a while. Things have been too busy, lately.'

'Normal-busy or unusual-surge-in-activity busy?'

'Normal-busy, Mini-Stark.' Peter ruffles his hair absently, leaving it standing on end like when he first pulls of his mask. 'You're not five anymore. I'd tell you if you needed to be worried, especially now that you're gonna be in the city full time.'

'I'll be checking up on that. And on you and your leave.'

'And now you're being a Mini-Potts.'

'At some point you're going to realize I am the perfect amalgamation of both of my awesome parents.'

'Aw, we all know that already.' Peter rests his chin on his open palm, elbow resting on the edge of the counter top. 'It's just nice to see bits of both of them in you.'

'Thanks.' Morgan takes a long slug of her tea. 'Now, I should probably get unpacking, so unless you want to help me hang up ten boxes of clothes?'

'And I'm out!' Peter chugs the last of his drink and hops to his feet. 'But let me know your schedule for orientation this week and I'll drop by campus to kidnap you for lunch or something when it's good for you.'

'Will do.' She pulls him into another hug before waving him into the elevator. Her smile falls once the doors close and she's in the echoing space of the empty apartment. She activates the sound system from her phone, blasting one of Dad's favorite albums.

Unlike the Avengers, Morgan isn't as used to the ubiquitous presence of FRIDAY or JARVIS as some of the others were, but the tower still feels wrong and quiet with only her own thoughts and the gentle whirrings of the bots for company. Morgan is used to living with her ghosts, but she has big plans for the tower. She finished the programming that will swap voice patterns for select visitors last week.

It's time.

There are over 20,000 hours of publicly available footage of one Anthony E. Stark. He lived a very public life from childhood, and he wasn't what anyone would call camera shy. With access to the Stark Industries servers, the Howard Stark Archives in Jersey, the Avengers exhibit at the Smithsonian, and Tony's personal archives, Morgan's amassed upwards of 80,000 hours of her father's voice.

She spent most of high school modifying her father's original designs. Peter was right about the relative merits of his alma mater. She needs something to challenge herself when the coursework at Midtown School of Science and Technology doesn't cut it, which is pretty much as soon as she sets foot through the doors.

Morgan named her first AI EDDIE. Extremely Diligent Delightfully Intelligent Executive (the assistant is implied).

She's watched and listened to weeks of footage, read every unclassified and most of the classified files he's so much as name-checked in, listened to stories at the knee of everyone who knew and loved him, has her own foggy little girl memories. Dad would think it's hilarious she's just as bad at acronyms as her old man.

She doesn't know what Dad would think about using him as the base model.

(She can guess it would involve a lot of self-deprecating humor and him being not-so-secretly touched.)

And now it's time for Phase One. Time to see if she can bring EDDIE to life in the tower her father once called home.


	3. like I'm living at the edge of the world

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morgan has known Cassie Lang her entire life. Like every Lang, Cassie is predisposed to an inexplicable fondness for brunette geniuses with smart mouths. She also has more energy than should really be contained in a human of her size.
> 
> She also has terrible timing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from Plainsong by The Cure, which appears in Ant-Man, because Cassie.

'Oh my god, Morgan! Dad said you were gonna be in town soon, but I didn't know that meant already!'

Morgan has known Cassie Lang her entire life. Like every Lang, Cassie is predisposed to an inexplicable fondness for brunette geniuses with smart mouths. She also has more energy than should really be contained in a human of her size.

Also? She has absolutely terrible timing.

'Hello Cassandra, all-knowing and all-seeing light of my life.' Morgan cranes her neck to make sure she only activated her speakerphone and not video. She's wrist deep in a wall panel and minutes away from booting up EDDIE. 'I'm still getting unpacked. I was gonna call you after orientation to see if you wanted to get dinner. Peter already threatened to kidnap me for lunch this week if you want in on that instead or in addition to. I know how much you like my face.'

'And his ass.'

'Gross.' Morgan grins, perfectly picturing Cassie's waggling eyebrows. 'You guys know you're still not allowed to date, right?'

'Ew, no. That would be like dating my cousin or something. But I can enjoy the view, baby girl.' Cassie giggles. 'It's like window shopping!'

'Again, I say: gross.' Morgan withdraws her hand and secures the panel in place. 'I'm just finishing putting some stuff away, but I could probably be ready to meet you somewhere close in an hour or so?'

'Oh, no worries.' The elevator bings and Morgan is going to have to have a talk with Happy about Avengers and their varied spawn being able to override her security protocols at the tower. Or maybe she'll just do a little reprogramming and neglect to mention it to him until it actually becomes an issue. That's more likely. 'I'm here!'

'Hey!' Morgan lets Cassie yank her from her crouch on the floor into a tight hug. Cassie releases her after a final squeeze. 'You smell like sealant, soldering, and regret.'

'Rude!'

'Accurate!' Cassie glances at Morgan's open toolbox. 'New project?'

'Old project. Just working on getting it integrated into the new place.' Morgan waves an arm around the mostly-empty apartment. 'Next time you're here you'll be totally impressed by my sound system.'

'Uhuh.' Cassie raises one eyebrow and slings an arm around Morgan's shoulders. 'Sure I will. I mean,' she frowns as she steers Morgan down the hall toward the bedrooms, 'I'm sure I will. Stark's love blasting their tunes.' They share a grin. 'But whenever you want to clue me in on your super secret project I'm all ears. And I'm discrete as hell!' Morgan shoots Cassie a disbelieving look as she's shoved in the direction or her bathroom. 'At least compared to your other options! Now wash whatever you were doing off of your hands and I'll take you out for a Clarke burger.'

'That sounds really great, actually. I'm starving and I want to hear all about what you and the various Lang and Lang-adjacents have been up to.'

'Ohmygod, did I tell you that Jimmy finally moved in?'

'No!' Morgan flips the kitchen tap on and starts scrubbing her hands and forearms with the rosemary scented soap her mom will never admit to having a preference for, but which magically appears anywhere they stay for more than a couple of days. 'That only took how long?'

'Way too long.' Cassie leans her elbows on the counter. 'They've been dating for basically forever.'

'I thought they hooked up at Sam's engagement party?'

'Yeah, and that was like, months ago.' Morgan shoots her a disbelieving look, drying off her hands. 'Whatever, Morgan, it's not like they haven't been totally into each other and known each other since I was like, an amoeba.'

'The concept of time is very fluid for you, isn't it?'

'Time's a flat circle. It has no meaning!'

'What exactly did they teach you at Stanford?'

'Not physics.' Cassie cheerfully snags Morgan by the hand and drags her out of the kitchen and towards the elevator. 'My degree's in archaeology.'

'Excuses, excuses.'

Morgan lets herself be steered into the elevator with minimal fuss, though her eyes snag on the newly-secured wall panel.

She supposes it can wait. She's got all the time in the world, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nat King Cole famously dubbed the bacon cheeseburger at [P.J. Clarke's](http://pjclarkes.com/) “the Cadillac of burgers” back in the 1950s and they're in Midtown not far from where the tower theoretically stands (depending on who you consult the tower stands in several different places so you know, biggest of shrugs, it's in Midtown!), so Cassie tempting Morgan with a Clarke burger is ~chef's kiss~.


End file.
